Fire at Lorenzo's Pizza on South Street

Firefighters say it didn’t take long for dozens of fire personnel to bring the fire under control but the damage was already done to Lorenzo's.

The famous storefront mural had to be cut to allow ventilation. An NBC10 photographer on the scene reported parts of the billboard were obviously cut out including a square portion right over Lorenzo's founder's face.

There was extensive interior damage on all three floors including the ground floor where the restaurant is located, according Deputy Chief Joseph McGraw.

Owner Giuseppe Pulizzi says the family-owned business has been at its South Street location for almost 25 years. He described to NBC10 trying to get everyone, including his dog from a second floor office, out of the building as the fire grew.

"I ran in... I opened the door, grabbed the dog and by the time I opened the door it was instant, the smoke came flying into the office. Just grabbed a shirt, covered my face and just ran out," Pulizzi said. "By the time I got to the first floor it was complete, black darkness and I just ran out, made sure my workers were OK.

"Everyone's fine and that's what really matters."

Pulizzi says the ovens were off and it appears that the fire possibly began in the back of the building -- possibly from an exhaust fan -- but he isn't sure. An exact cause of the blaze is pending investigation from the fire marshal's office.

The pizza shop will be shut down for an unknown period of time. It normally operates from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. -- 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

"It's really a sad day for us," Pulizzi said facing away from the destroyed mural of his father.